Station to Open 24 Hours

Station to Open 24 Hours

Article excerpt

QUEENSLAND police have bowed to pressure to have a 24-hour station at Gatton after it took police more than two hours to respond to a daring $50,000 jewel heist.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers yesterday called for the Gatton police station to be permanently manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week because of the rapid growth in the district.

The call came after "professional" thieves escaped with jewellery after slashing the tyres of four police vehicles to prevent being pursued.

In just seven minutes, robbers broke two glass cabinets and stole 109 gold chains and up to 40 gold gem-set rings while the alarm was sounding.

As a result, a police spokeswoman said Gatton station was operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, effective from last night.

Gatton Jewellers owner Bill Beckman said the security company contacted him and he arrived at the store at 3.54am on Wednesday, just four minutes after the thieves left, but Gatton police did not know about the robbery until he called them at 6. …